Since the outbreak of 2019 novel coronavirus infection (2019-nCoV) in Wuhan City, China, by January 30, 2020, a total of 9692 confirmed cases and 15,238 suspected cases have been reported around 31 ...provinces or cities in China. Among the confirmed cases, 1527 were severe cases, 171 had recovered and been discharged at home, and 213 died. And among these cases, a total of 28 children aged from 1 month to 17 years have been reported in China. For standardizing prevention and management of 2019-nCoV infections in children, we called up an experts’ committee to formulate this experts’ consensus statement. This statement is based on
the Novel Coronavirus Infection Pneumonia Diagnosis and Treatment Standards (the fourth edition)
(National Health Committee) and other previous diagnosis and treatment strategies for pediatric virus infections. The present consensus statement summarizes current strategies on diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of 2019-nCoV infection in children.
Amdo Tibetans are an important part of the three major Tibetan areas in western Sichuan. Their production and life style rooted in the Ruoergai grassland pastoral area is significantly different from ...that of Kangba Tibetans and Jiarong Tibetans, which are widely distributed in the valley areas. However, due to the relatively small population size and distribution range, there is still a lack of research on the space of multi-Tibetan settlements in western Sichuan, which makes the unique spatial characteristics of grassland dwellings and their generation logic unclear. Based on a large number of literature studies and field investigations, this paper systematically analyzes its location pattern, spatial layout and material application from the perspective of ecological wisdom through spatial analysis, comparative analysis and other methods. The results show that there are obvious differences in spatial form between the Tibetan dwellings in Anduo grassland in western Sichuan and the Tibetan settlements in Kangba and Jiarong. The scattered siting model is used to cope with the impact of bad climate and the characteristics of widely dispersed production factors. The diversified, specialized and open yard space layout is adapted to the production mode of pastoral areas. Local materials such as manure are used to build settlement space according to local conditions. This study reveals the spatial characteristics and environmental adaptation wisdom of multi-Tibetan grassland dwellings in western Sichuan, complements and improves the Tibetan research system and content in western Sichuan, and provides theoretical guidance for the healthy and sustainable development of multi-Tibetan settlements in western Sichuan.
Nutritional deficiency is prevalent among the elderly, and it is associated with many adverse health consequences. China is rapidly moving toward an aging society with a large population; however, ...evidence on the epidemiological trends in nutritional deficiency among the Chinese elderly is limited. Data on the incidence of nutritional deficiency among Chinese adults aged 65 years or above from 1990 to 2019 were extracted from the
database. We used the joinpoint regression method to estimate the average annual percentage change (AAPC) and to describe trend patterns. Age, period, and cohort effects were determined using age-period-cohort models. From 1990 to 2019, the incidence of vitamin A deficiency and iodine deficiency among Chinese older adults decreased from 1784.12 and 8.20 to 304.27 and 7.26 per 100,000, with AAPCs of -0.41 (-0.44, -0.38)% and -5.86 (-6.29, -5.43)%, respectively. A continually increasing trend was seen for incidence rates of protein-energy malnutrition, from 1342.02 to 2275.87 per 100,000 person-years, with an AAPC of 1.70 (1.40, 2.01)%. These trends were more pronounced among men than women. A strong age effect and birth cohort effect were present. Specifically, the population that was older or born later had a lower incidence of deficiencies in vitamin A and iodine but a higher incidence of protein-energy malnutrition. The results show a substantial reduction in vitamin A and iodine deficiencies among the Chinese elderly, and health policies and public awareness are needed to address the burden of protein-energy malnutrition in this population.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has emerged as a serious global public health crisis. In response, 2016, 14 ministries in China, under the leadership of the National Health Commission, collaboratively ...issued the National Action Plan (NAP) to Contain Antibacterial Resistance (2016-2020). The NAP outlines strategies for medical institutions to adopt stewardship and implement AMR control. The purpose of this study was to comprehend stakeholders' perceptions of the NAP and explore the factors that influence its implementation in medical institutions.
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with practitioners from medical institution in March and April 2021. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis via the framework approach.
Twenty practitioners, representing diverse roles (4 administrators, 7 clinicians, 3 microbiologists, 3 pharmacists, 3 nosocomial infection management personnel) from seven institutions, participated in the study. Substantial efforts have been undertaken to regulate the rational use of antibiotics and enhance the management of hospital infections. Participants demonstrated awareness and concern regarding antimicrobial resistance, with widespread support expressed for the NAP. Among all professions, there were varying opinions on whether they felt restricted in their daily work. The tertiary hospitals have established multidisciplinary cooperation mechanisms. Six main themes were identified as both barriers and facilitators to the implementation of the NAP in the medical institutions: individual factors, leadership, multidisciplinary collaboration, patient factors, training and culture. The capacity for administrative attention is constrained or limited, poor enforcement of guidelines, insufficient specialist staff and the liability pressure on clinicians were perceived barriers. To containing AMR in medical institutions, management of hospital infections, the public's knowledge of antibiotics' usage, routine education and multidisciplinary support would be facilitators.
Practitioners from medical institutions were highly supportive for the NAP. Consideration of practitioners' perceived barriers and facilitators might enhance implementation of the NAP to contain antimicrobial resistance.
Background:
National Centralized Drug Procurement (NCDP), an ongoing government-led policy starting in 2019 in China, aimed at reducing drug costs. During the implementation of NCDP, healthcare ...professionals (HCPs) still have a certain degree of concern about the policy, which affects the clinical use of related drugs.
Objective:
This study aims to assess the level of knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of HCPs towards NCDP policy, together with the associated factors that determine their KAP.
Methods:
A cross-sectional study was conducted between September and November of 2021 in 30 hospitals in Hubei province in Central China. A self-designed online questionnaire including KAP towards NCDP policy was administered to HCPs. Logistic regression analysis was adopted to identify the factors associated with KAP.
Results:
A Total of, 742 HCPs completed the questionnaires. 43.4% of HCPs had good knowledge, 24.7% had a positive attitude, and 23.7% held good practice. Through multivariate logistic regression analysis, HCPs who are males, pharmacists, with senior professional titles and 6–10 years of professional working experience contributed to a higher knowledge level. Pharmacists and HCPs with good knowledge were more likely to have positive attitudes, while HCPs with higher education were less likely to have positive attitudes. Pharmacists, HCPs who had 11–20 years of professional working experience, worked in medium-size urban areas or had good knowledge were more likely to have good practice. Good practice is also associated with the positive attitude towards the efficacy of centralized-purchased medicines and impacts of NCDP policy.
Conclusion:
Only a small percentage of HCPs had good KAP towards NCDP policy. Pharmacists showed better KAP than physicians. The positive attitude towards the efficacy of centralized-purchased medicines and impacts of NCDP policy contributed to better practice. High-quality clinical evidence on the therapeutic effects and safety of the centralized-purchased drugs is needed.
Healthcare professionals' knowledge and attitudes towards adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and ADR reporting play a significant role in pharmacovigilance. This study aims to investigate the gap between ...knowledge and practice in ADR reporting among hospital pharmacists.
This study is a multi-center, cross-sectional study based on a questionnaire survey. A semi-structured questionnaire was developed including knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) towards ADR reporting. From October to November 2021, questionnaires were filled out on the internet by hospital pharmacists from a central province of China. The data analysis used a one-way ANOVA to analyze the differences between the pharmacist's characteristics and knowledge and attitude, respectively. The ordinal logistic regression method was used to analyze the predictors of practice.
A total of 1,026 valid questionnaires from 512 medical institutions were collected. It was found that 88.8% of participants have a clear understanding of the ADR definition, while 59.6% of them have misunderstandings about the reporting time of new and serious adverse reactions. Most pharmacists showed positive attitudes towards ADR reporting. Higher education background, higher professional title, attending training, and clinical pharmacist resulted in higher knowledge scores. Higher education background, shorter working years, attending training, and from non-tertiary hospital related to higher attitude scores. In terms of practice, age, hospital type, working years, training, and pharmacist type all have significant associations with practice scores. Pharmacists' knowledge score and attitude score were significant predictors of practice score with OR being 1.19 (95% CI: 1.06, 1.33) and 1.04 (95% CI: 1.005, 1.07).
Although most hospital pharmacists showed positive attitudes towards ADR reporting, their knowledge and practice were still insufficient. Hospital pharmacists' knowledge and attitude are associated with their practice towards ADR reporting. The training had a significant impact on the pharmacist's knowledge, attitude, and practice.
The rapid urbanization in developing countries like China has led to a heightened challenge of climate degradation and the erosion of traditional ecological knowledge worldwide. The widespread ...distribution of Yi traditional settlements across various climatic zones in southwest China offers a unique opportunity to investigate the diverse courtyard spaces within the same ethnic group, influenced by distinct climatic environments. Through comprehensive field investigation, meticulous field measurement, and rigorous ENVI-met simulation, this study conducts a comparative analysis of microclimates in Yi typical courtyards across diverse climatic conditions. The results show that: 1) Courtyard plays a pivotal role in regulating microclimate dynamics across cold, temperate, and hot climatic conditions. 2) The microclimate regulation mechanism of a courtyard varies across different climatic environments. 3) The climate regulation efficacy of courtyards will diminish as the climate environment undergoes changes. 4) The aspect ratio (AR) is a key spatial factor which plays a crucial role in determining the efficiency of regulating courtyard microclimate. Concluded this study, the research findings not only provide valuable guidance for the protection planning and design of traditional Yi settlements in southwest China, but also offer significant insights for courtyard construction in other regions with extreme climates worldwide. In addition, this study constructs a new research framework for traditional settlements, which is of great significance for scientifically and accurately identifying the spatial value of traditional settlements and improving the theoretical system of traditional settlement protection and activation.
•Defines three typical southwest Yi traditional courtyard space forms.•Microclimate regulation in cold regions is more dependent on the narrow and enclosed courtyard.•Best ventilation is achieved when courtyards are equal in length and width to alleviate microclimate in humid areas.•Shading plays a pivotal role in maintaining a comfortable environment within the courtyard in hot and arid regions.•Aspect ratio (AR) is a key spatial factor that determines the microclimate regulation performance of courtyards.
ObjectivesTo assess the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) concerning healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) among healthcare givers and to identify the factors influencing KAP.DesignThis was a ...hospital-based, cross-sectional study.SettingTwo public hospitals in Wuhan, central China.ParticipantsParticipants were recruited among healthcare workers (HCWs) of one general hospital and one children’s hospital in Wuhan city between 1 June and 30 September 2019.Primary and secondary outcome measuresThe outcomes were KAPs concerning HAIs.ResultsData from 455 HCWs were included in the final data analysis. The mean scores of KAP and total KAP were 15.67±3.32, 25.00±2.75, 43.44±5.15 and 84.76±6.72, respectively. The following factors were significantly associated with the total KAP score concerning HAIs, explaining 61% of the variance (p<0.001): gender (β=2.36, 95% CI 1.11 to 4.40), age (β=6.65, 95% CI 5.07 to 7.74), position (β=7.02, 95% CI 3.88 to 8.45), type of employment (β=−1.08, 95% CI −2.08 to −0.07), with HAI education within last year (β=−2.98, 95% CI −4.23 to −1.72), with invasive operation authority (β=−4.22, 95% CI −5.46 to −2.99), antibacterial drug training (β=−4.38, 95% CI −5.45 to −3.31) and with antibacterial drug training and clinical consultation (β=−4.35, 95% CI −5.38 to −3.32).ConclusionThe controllable factors identified in this study can be used by hospital managers to implement measures that improve KAP among HCWs. Moreover, these measures should be customised, based on uncontrollable factors to suit the specific characteristics of medical staff and to improve KAP. Training programmes should be designed for medical workers to increase their awareness of HAIs and to foster positive attitudes and practices.
The Diagnosis-Related Group (DRG) or Diagnosis-Intervention Packet (DIP) payment system, now introduced in China, intends to streamline healthcare billing practices. However, its implications for ...clinical pharmacists, pivotal stakeholders in the healthcare system, remain inadequately explored. This study sought to assess the perceptions, challenges, and roles of clinical pharmacists in China following the introduction of the DRG or DIP payment system.
Qualitative interviews were conducted among a sample of clinical pharmacists. Ten semi-structured interviews were conducted, either online or face to face. Thematic analysis was employed to identify key insights and concerns related to their professional landscape under the DRG or DIP system.
Clinical pharmacists exhibited variable awareness levels about the DRG or DIP system. Their roles have undergone shifts, creating a balance between traditional responsibilities and new obligations dictated by the DRG or DIP system. Professional development, particularly concerning health economics and DRG-based or DIP-based patient care, was highlighted as a key need. There were calls for policy support at both healthcare and national levels and a revised, holistic performance assessment system. The demand for more resources, be it in training platforms or personnel, was a recurrent theme.
The DRG or DIP system's introduction in China poses both opportunities and challenges for clinical pharmacists. Addressing awareness gaps, offering robust policy support, ensuring adequate resource allocation, and recognizing the evolving role of pharmacists are crucial for harmoniously integrating the DRG or DIP system into the Chinese healthcare paradigm.
This study aimed to develop and test the validity and reliability of the Knowledge, Attitudes, Practise, and Experience regarding Infection Prevention and Control-associated Questionnaire for ...environmental service workers.
This study was a development and validation study of a questionnaire using multiple methods, including literature review, questionnaire survey, and Delphi technique.
Phase I of the study entailed the development of items through an extensive literature review and two round Delphi process with 15 experts specialised in infection prevention and control, environmental service worker management, or scale construction to examine the content validity of the questionnaire. Phase II involved administering the questionnaire to a convenience sample of 1,176 environmental service workers from the public hospital from 13 provinces in China to evaluate its construct validity and reliability.
In the two rounds of Delphi consultation, the recovery rate were 93.75 and 100%. Moreover, the expert authority coefficient was 0.93, and the coordination coefficients of expert opinions in the first round were as follows: correlation of 0.204 and importance of 0.249 for the first-level index; correlation of 0.128 and importance of 0.142 for the secondary index. In round two, the coordination coefficients of expert opinions were as follows: correlation of 0.221 and importance of 0.221 for the first-level indicators; correlation of 0.096 and importance of 0.101 for the secondary index. The results for the index were
< 0.05 for the two rounds. The pilot survey shows the instrument was excellent content validity (S-CVI/Ave = 0.989). The overall internal consistency was excellent (Cronbach's α = 0.967). The questionnaire ultimately comprised four first-level indices (knowledge, attitudes, practise, and experience) and 49 second-level indices.
The Questionnaire demonstrated good reliability and validity and is effective in measuring levels of infection prevention and control-related knowledge, attitudes, practise, and experience among environmental service workers. It will provide a tool for future national investigations of the current infection prevention and control situation among environmental service workers. Future research should explore determinants of environmental service workers' knowledge, attitudes, practise, and experience and associations between infection prevention and control knowledge, attitudes, practises, and experience.